Richard Wagner, Götterdämmerung, Act I, Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Step into the world of Norse mythology with Ferdinand Leeke's dramatic illustration of Wagner's opera Götterdämmerung. Here, the hero Siegfried stands proudly in a dragon-prowed boat, blowing a horn to announce his journey down the Rhine. His trusty steed, Grane, squeezes into the boat beside him, looking a bit confused but loyal to the end. Painted in the Romantic style, the shimmering water and towering cliffs set the stage for the tragic finale of Wagner's epic Ring Cycle, capturing the moment just before the hero meets his doom.